Does It Matter What Size Pvc Pipe I Use For A Drain

Determining what size PVC pipe you are using in your project or that you picked upward from the abode center can be a frustrating and challenging process. FORMUFIT products are available in six (6) PVC sizes that work with FORMUFIT PVC pipe, only also work with off-the-shelf plumbing grade PVC pipe, available from your home center or hardware store.

If you accept not worked with PVC piping earlier, or are not familiar with how PVC pipes are sized, we highly recommend you lot review the following three important details about PVC Pipage sizing:

The Outside Diameter is not the PVC Pipage Size.
PVC Schedule is Important
Some Pipe isn't Compatible

The Exterior Bore of the pipe is non the PVC Pipe Size.

PVC Pipe sizes are so named by the measurement of the within diameter (also chosen the bore) of the PVC piping, and not the outside diameter. If you measure the outside diameter information technology will give you a larger reading than the actual PVC Pipage Size. The pipe will always be larger on the outside than the size name, as the thickness of the 'walls' of the pipage brand it larger.

Right style to Measure

FORMUFIT products follow the Nominal Pipage Size (NPS) naming convention or PVC specifications, which identifies the bore of the hole of a PVC piping with a closely-related dimensional number for its size. Therefore the Pipe Size for all of our products is based on the inside hole or 'diameter' of the PVC pipage that it fits. This is the correct way to measure what PVC Pipe Size yous demand.

How to correctly measure PVC

Incorrect way to Measure

You should never use the outside diameter of the pipe to determine your PVC pipe size, unless going off of a reference nautical chart. If you measure the outside diameter of your PVC piping and order based off that measurement you will well-nigh always receive the next PVC size up. Never order PVC products based off the outside diameter, unless referencing our PVC pipage dimensions page.

incorrect pvc measure

Additional Ways to Observe PVC Pipe Size

If y'all need to find out a PVC pipage size, do one of the following:

Read Pipage Markings

Read PVC Pipe Markings

Read Piping Markings

If y'all use plumbing-form PVC piping for your projects, you lot can read the pipe markings. Every plumbing-grade manufacturer marks their pipes differently, however you can view our Reading PVC Pipage Markings folio to larn how to read them.

Compare to Objects

Compare PVC Sizes

PVC Size Comparing

The outside diameter of PVC pipes have are similar in size to some mutual household objects. You tin view our Pipe Size Comparison chart, which volition give you an thought of how each PVC Pipe Size diameter equates to regular household objects.

Measure the Pipe

Measure PVC Pipe Size

PVC Size Dimensions

Measure the outide and inside diameter of your PVC pipe, and compare it to our PVC Pipage Dimensions chart to translate it into the correct PVC Pipe size. You lot can view our PVC Pipe Dimensions chart and look at all of the detailed information on the pipe sizes.

Important: PVC Schedule

PVC Schedule (abbrev. SCH or Sch.) is the thickness of the PVC pipe wall. The most common Schedule is forty, but Schedule 80 PVC is also available from home centers or hardware stores. As the schedule gets larger the pipe wall gets thicker from the outside in, and then the inside pigsty (bore) of the pipe gets smaller.

FORMUFIT internal-fit products, such as Internal Dome Caps, Adjustable Elbows and Internal Couplings are simply compatible with Schedule 40 PVC pipe. Our internal-fit products will non work with PVC Schedule fourscore, as the inner diameter of fourscore Schedule PVC is much smaller than PVC Schedule xl and they won't work with Thinwall every bit the inner diameter of the pipe is likewise large.

All external-fit products (Tees, Elbows, 3-Ways, etc.) will fit almost all schedules, including Thinwall, Schedule twoscore, Schedule lxxx and Schedule 120 PVC every bit the outside diameter is the same.

All off-the-shelf pressurized plumbing-grade PVC pipage is marked with the piping schedule. Please see our PVC Pipe Markings Page to larn how to read them.

PVC Pipe Schedule Explained

Some Pipe isn't Uniform

Not all types of pipe volition work with FORMUFIT fittings and accessories:

CTS/CPVC Pipe

The well-nigh ordinarily confused non-compatible pipe is Copper Tube Size (CTS) plastic pipe, which is really made from CPVC and uses an entirely different sizing system. If you apply CTS pipe with FORMUFIT fittings or accessories they will be much too large for the pipage. CTS and CPVC can exist identified past their yellowish or tan color, and are marked in the manufacturer printings as CTS or CPVC. For more information on CPVC, please see our CPVC Incompatibilities folio hither.

ABS Pipe

While ABS pipe is size-compatible with most FORMUFIT products, it cannot exist cemented together using standard PVC cement. A special transitional cement must be used, or the pipe to plumbing fixtures connectedness must be screwed together to connect them securely. ABS pipe is also very brittle and is not recommended for structural use.

Steel Conduit or Pipe

Steel pipage and conduit accept the same outside diameters equally the respective PVC pipe sizes and are size-compatible, just are not recommended for utilize with PVC joints & fittings, every bit at that place is no way to connect the steel piping to the plastic PVC fitting. In most cases the steel pipe will hands slide out of the fitting, resulting in loose, or possibly collapsing, structures.